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Top 5 Back-to-School Tips for Teachers

The weather is balmy, you’ve just enjoyed a student-free summer with your loved ones and you’ve not a care in the world – until the back-to-school dread kicks in. Fear not! Read on, and let us guide you through a stress-free back-to-school process that you can implement for years to come.

Preparation is Key

Expecting to begin the school year at the same time as your students is ludicrous and will surely set you up for failure. Preparation should begin well before day one so that when you arrive back after holidays, plan-of-attack in hand, you’re ready to hit the ground running.

Set Goals and Objectives

When deciding on goals, it’s not hard to go overboard with ideas once you’re on a roll and end up with a list full of over-the-top targets. Try to remember to take one step at a time. Assess your goals, determine whether or not they are realistic and continue from there.

Not only is it important to set goals for your students to reach throughout the year, but personal goals for yourself as a teacher are just as critical to stay on your toes in the classroom. There’s always room for self-improvement.

Keep in touch with parents and update them on how their child is doing throughout the year. As parents can fear bad news when contacted by the school, be sure to mix things up a bit. Happy news such as reaching a goal or milestone will be more than welcomed. They will see that you care about their child’s education and welfare, and truly have their best interest at heart.

Enjoy Your Job

If you find you’re dreading the start of the school year, stop and ask yourself why these feelings exist. Are you enjoying your time by the pool far too much, and the thought of reality makes you cringe? Or is it something deeper? Assessing your happiness – or lack thereof – within your job will assist in realising the reasons behind it.

Step back and gain some perspective. Remember why you started teaching in the first place. Has anything changed? If so, work out whether it’s something you can control or if it’s a change in mindset that is required. Now is a great time to reflect and iron out any niggling thoughts you may have about your job.

Better Your Work-Life Balance

Wanting to put in 100% at work is a trait to be respected, but you don’t work around the clock. Putting the same effort into your personal life – your health and relationships – is just as vital.

Balance is the key to a happy life. Keep that in mind next time you feel weighed down at work. Are you running yourself into the ground? Do you need to get that balance in order? Only you will know, so it’s something you should be mindful of.